THE WEATHER
For WlMomrini CMltnucd eoal tonight »Mt Tbundajr with tempera.
iur«« tonliht ntmr freeii»i north
•nd west central
tockl weather fact* for 24 hours
T *. *.: Maximum 49;
39.
Four Youngsters CONFERENCE TO
DRAW
BLUEPRINT
Die as Result of FOR LONG PEACE
Tragic Farm Fire
Kerosene Explodes When
Poured Into Coal Stove
Four children of the Edward J. Newman family died today as the result of a fire at their home on Route 5, Wisconsin Rapids. Three perished in the flames which engulfed a
room in which they were playing after the fourth had poured
kerosene into a coal stove, causing an explosion and flash fire.
The victims were Ronald, 5, Robert 3, David, 2, and Richard, 14, who was burned critically and succumbed about 1:30
this afternoon at Riverside hospital. Dr. Harold Pomainville,
Wood county coroner, said the three tots probably suffocated
although it was apparent from the way that two of the bodies
were huddled in a corner that they had made a futile effort
to escape.
Mrs. Newman made a heroic effort to rescue the youngsters but
was driven back by the intense flames and was burned severely in her
frantic attempts. Enveloped in flames, Richard stumbled from the room
and his mother wrapped clothes around him which she had been washing.
She then ran to a neighbor's home to summon help and Richard followed
although his garments still were burning.
After running about 150 feet, Richard fell to the ground where his
mother rolled him in the grass to1 put out the flames. The flames set
fire to the grass and spread about fifteen feet from the place where
Nekoosa firemen found him when they answered the alarm.
Mrs. Newman returned to the
scene and tried to enter the house
but was forced back. She then went
back to the neighbor's home and
called her husband and an ambulance. The Newmans were hysterical
and their grief was beyond control.
They moved onto the farm early
last fall.
MORAN
Ernest Blackburn, vrho also lives BY MAURICE
Rome—(J 1 )—Both the British
on what is known as Roberts road,
took Richard to the hospital. Sheriff Eighth and U. S. Fifth armies sent
Henry J. Becker visited the scene of troops across the Po river today in
the tragedy along with Dr. Pomain- pursuit of disorganized German
forces reeling back toward Italy's
ville. There is to be no inquest.
Toulh Tells Story
northern border.
Fire Chief James Mlsna said that
The crack 10th American mounthe youth gasped out the story of tain division won the first Allied
the fire to him, saying that he poured kerosene from a 5-gallon can as foothold beyond the barrier stream
he was preparing to build a fire and Monday morning in the face of
that "All of a sudden everything what a communique called a "rewas on fire." He pleaded with the markably fierce" concentration of
firemen to save tlfc children but it
is believed that they lived only a enemy fire.
Eighth Spans River
few minutes.
Mr. Newman was working in the
Units of the Eighth army a'.so
Nekoosa-Edwards Paper company spanned the stream to the ^ast
mill at Port Edwards and four other later.
children also were away at the time.
Exactly where the Allied forces
He was the father of three young- won the crossings was not disclosed
est children who died and Gwendo- as the Allied command clamped on
lyn, 6, who was attending Ross a security blackout to keep as much
school, Richard was the son of Mrs. information as possible from the
Newman by a previous marriage enemy.
and his sister, Gertrude, 16, is living
It was known, however, that the
in Auburndale. Two other children U. S. 10th division, racing forward
of Mrs. Newman's by a second mar- 55 miles in two days, crossed the
riage, Arlette, 10, and Ralph, 9, also river at a point where it is about
200 yards wide with gradually slop•were at school.'
ing shores. The Germans, protectFiremen Act Promptly
The fire broke out about 9:40 this ed by earthworks, poured a hail of
morning, the Nekoosa fire depart- lead into the Allied assault boats,
ment receiving the call from Mrs. but the 10th quickly secured a
William Yusten, to whose home Mrs. bridgehead.
Newman had fled. Firemen were on Mopped up Pockets
In the Po valley northwest of
the scene in less than 10 minutes
and, although having only 80 gal- Bologna, other Fifth army elements
lons of water to draw from, extm- mopped up extensive German units
Eruished the flames in about 12 min- by-passed in the first advance,
utes and succeeded in saving the which overran Modcna,
Everywhere
along the long,
home. The dininjr room in which the
bodies lay, however, was a charred twisting battle line, from Fcrrara
on the right flank to the port of
scene of horror.
Those who battled the flames be- La Spezia. on the Lijrurian coast,
sides Fire Cbief Mlsna were I. Koll- Allied troops wer« reported moving
er, assistant chief, John Buehler, swiftly ahead through shattered
George Wipfli, Ed WipfH, Walter enenry defenses. Ferrara fell yesWolfe, Charles Herrick and Al Rud- terday to the Eighth army. The
Fifth won La Spezia.
Up to noon yesterday, 40,000 prisKrohn and Beravd will have
charge of, funeral arrangements for oners were taken. The Fifth army
accounted for 25,000.
the four victims.
Little hope had been given for
Richard's recovery.
Allies Send
Men Across
Po Barrier
>
Posthumous Award
To Pfc. Ira Heinen
Milwaukee— (.T) — The Navy/
Cross, awarded posthumously t*
Marine Pfc. Ira E. Heinen, killed Vn
action on Guam in July, 1944, v&s
^resented yesterday to his parentii,
Mn and Mrs. Edward E. Heine/n,
Junction City.
,
Despite Iwo bayonet wounds,
Private Heinen refused relief ajnd
helped stop three fierce charges/by
the Japanese, his citation said./' He
died after his evacuation.
[
Hold Everything?
San Francisco—(JP)—With one
chair for Poland
dramatically
empty, 46 victorious nations of
World war II assemble in their first
listoric political conference today to
,ty to blueprint machinery for presenting World var III.
This is the day that millions of
people over the earth have waited
and worked for through the years of
ighting to the verge of victory. It
dawned bright with expressions of
tope for lasting peace, yet darkened
by one cloud—the Anglo-American
dispute with Russia over Poland.
Still Deadlocked
Barring some dramatic move by
Premier Marshal Stalin of Russia,
hat dispute on Polish representation at the conference is as deadocked today as ever—splitting the
ranks of the Allied powers in the
moment they strive for unity.
Otherwise there is evidence of
close big-power cooperation which
members of the American group interpret to mean that Russia is determined to help the conference succeed and is already making concessions for that purpose.
This conference city abustle with
activity. The American delegation
scheduled a pre»conference caucus
at 11:30 a. m. (central war time)
vith Secretary of State Stettinius.
VITAL FACTS
Opening session of United Nations conference on international
organization.
PLACE: War memorial opera
house, San Francisco.
TIME: 4:30 p. m., Pacific war
time (6:30 p. m. central war
time).
SPEAKERS:
Secretary Stettinius, President Truman (by
radio from Washington), Governor Earl Warren of California,
Mayor Roger D. Lapham of San
Francisco.
Russian members met with Foreign
:ommissar Molotov, who arrived
Tuesday afternoon, and British delerates had a conference with Foreign
Minister Anthony Eden.
There vras some expectation that
the big-three foreign ministers
themselves would get together with
China's T. V. Soong for a last min
ute review of arrangements prior to
the brief conference opening at 6:30
p. m. <CWT).
Truman to Broadcast
Highlights of the scheduled halfhour program to be broadcast
around the world is a speech by
President Truman from Washington. Stettinius raps the session to
order and delivers the initial address, introducing the American
chief executive. After Mr. Truman
the program calls for address by
Governor Earl Warren of California
ind Mayor Roger D. Lapham of
San Francisco.
The president began work on his
address last night after talking for
an hour with former Secretary o£
State Cordell Hull, whose hope to
attend the opening here \vas vetoed
by his physicians.
Stetthrius holds the temporary
chairmanship of the meeting in San
Francisco's high-vaulted, red-an dgold opera house auditorium. He is
See—CONFERENCE—PaK* 7
Central Union to
Elect Officers
Officers will be elected during an
annual meeting of the Central Labor union at 7:30 Thursday evening
in Union hall.
The foliowt'4£ have been nominated:
Joseph C. Rude, president Harry
K)appa, vice president; Irvin Hofsrbild, recording secretary; Ardis A.
Coombs, Arthur Mueller and Hilda
Abraham, financial secretary; "William Scott, treasurer; Carl Knuth,
sergeant at amis; Edward Stcnsberpt and Earl Wellener, trustee for
Washington — <jT) — President three years.
Truman today ordered the navy to
seize and operate the plants of the SNYDF.R CONFIRMED
United Engineering Company, Ltd.,
"Washington — {/P> — John W.
at San Francisco where a jurisdic- Snydcr, SI. Louis banker, was contlonal dispute has tied up work on firmed by the senate today as fedseveral ships.
eral loan administrator.
The order directed the secretary
of the navy to take possession of all,
or such parts, as he deems necessary, of the main office and machine
shops.
He also was authorized to take
possession of such piers and other
property as may be teased or otherwise contracted for in connection
with the operation of the main of
ficft and machine shops.
Officials said that this was the
first time that the government has
taken over a war plant as a result
of a labor jurisdiction a) dispute.
NAVY SEIZES
STRIKE PLANTS
er
Complete Encirclement of Berlin
Is Announced by Premier Stalin
Third Army I*
Just 18 Miles
From Austria
BY AUSTIN BEALMEAR
Paris — (JP> — A m e v i
Third army tanks clattered to
within 18 miles of the Austrian border today in a dash
that carried within 79 miles
of Berchtesgaden, and within
105 miles of a junction with
Russians to seal off Czechoslovakia in a new trap.
Two other armies — the V. S.
Seventh and French First — were
assaulting the Germans' long and
craggy southern redoubt, and were
punching ahead in a great maneuver to encircle Munich.
The Third army now -was on the
Danube.
Its llth armored division stabbed
15 miles farther southeast in the
corner of Germany, teaching near
Haibach, 1C miles from Austria,
and 79 miles north and slightly east
of Berchtesgaden, where the Nazi
leader's Alpine refuge smoked from
a heavy bombing attack.
Lin/ is Bombed
The 11 armored approaching Austria was but 105 miles— and possibly loss— from two Russian columns
striking across Austria. The Austrian communications hub of L>inz,
also bombed today, was about midway between the outstretching Russian-American arms. The llth stood
49 miles northwest o£ Linz.
Bohemia and Moravia were rapidly being sliced off to form a huge
German pocket between the Berlin
cauldron and the Nazi Alpine fortress.
British in the north stormed Bremen while armies in the center
See— WESTERN FRONT— Page 7
Yanks Menace
Nippon Flank
On Okinawa
BY AL TOPKING
Guam—(IP)—U. S. Seventh division infantrymen, seizing high
ground near the village of Jshin, today threatened the eastern flank of
the strongly-fortified Japanese defense wail on southern Okinawa.
Capture of the elevation was the
first marked change in the fiery
front since the beginning of the allout attack )ast Thursday, when
three divisions of Maj. Gen. John E,
Hodge's 24th army corps gained up
to 800 yards.
Since then the fighting has been
a slow, bloody and methodical job
of digging the Japanese from caves,
blockhouses and pillboxes in their
elaborate interlocking defense belt
which extends four miles south to
the capital city of Naha.
Marines of Maj, Gen. Roy S.
Geiger's Third amphibious corps,
who overran the northern three
fourths of Okinawa with little opposition, landed yesterday on three
more offshore islands, Yagachi,
Heanza and Kouri, virtually com
pleting the American cleanup of
islets around Okinawa.
Only on Yagachi was any opposition encountered. This was feeble
ami quickly dissipated,
Adin. Chester W. Nimiti' communique today reported continued
heavy fighting along the entire
front.
Bip; puns of battleships,
cruisers anil destroyers poured hundreds of tons of shells into the
enemy defenses, scaling off caves
and destroying emplacements.
Nimitz, after a personal inspection of the island, said the enemy's
defenses on southern Okinawn,
where the bulk of the Nipponese
garrison of (50,000 or more has concentrated, ap)iwred to be "as strong,
a- I perhaps stronger, than nny we
have tackled before."
Water Committee
To Meet Thursday
"I wi*h Pop w«tiM H me qnit
school and get into Something
MMtrtiai:" '
<
Single Copy Kv* Cento
.Wisconsin Rapids, Wls., Wednesday, April 25, 194?.
Thirty-First Y«r—No. 9766.
>
Tribune
Wisconsin
The sanitation and water supplj
committee of the city council ivi)
hold a meeting at 4 o'clock Thurs
day afternoon in the city hall to discaas sewer petitions.
The general business committee
will also hold a mooting at r> o'clock
Friday afternoon at the city hall to
discuss th* sale of a piece of land
on Canal street to a private .ndivid-
RUSSIANS IN BKRI.IN—TranxmiUH from MOMCAW lo New York
hy Snvfofn. official photographic agency for the Soviet Kovrrnmcnl,
this radiopholo is purported to show Knssian tanks, carrying in-
All Roads Leading Out
Of Capital Are Severed
Berlin—<*)—Premier Marshal Stalin announced complete encirclement of Berlin today and the Hamburg radio admitted that the Russians had reached (he heart of the city.
The announcement of the encirclement came in an order directed
jointly to Marshals Gregory K. Zliukov and Ivan Koucv, which said
the troops of the First While Hussian and first Ukrainian, armies had
linked up northwest of Potsdam.
Stalin said (he juncture cut «11 roads leading out of the capital
and totally enclosed it.
The Hamburg radii* announced (he penetration to the center of Berlin a short time before Stalin's order was broadcast frum Moscow,
The Soviets were 1 altetl by German roummhrusts in the center
of Berlin," the enemy station said of the battle for the alt but encircled
capital. "They suffered tremendous losses."
The geographical heart of the city is on the famous Unlpr Den
Linden. The German high commnad announced earlier that the Red army
had sliced the last escape railway line westward from Berlin,
Soviet troops were reported in the
enemy's communique to have reached the Eibe river on a 22-mile front
northwest of Dresden.
Moscow announced Monday that
Russians had reached the Elbe ilonday northwest of Dresden. At last
reports, Americans stood on the
Mulde river, east of Leipzig, and 20
from the Eibe there.
London — (IP) — RAF Lancasters miles
Russians at Elbe
blew to pieces Hitler's chalet at
The broadcast German commumALLIED GAINS AS FRONTS CLOSE IN—Americans have crossed
Berchtesgaden today with a direct que said the Russians reached the
the Mulde river at Eilcnburg and an unconfirmed French press rehit by a 12,000-pound Earthquake Elbe between Riesa, 25 miles northport said the eastern and western fronts have joined near there. In
bomb and rained the mammoth west of Dresden, and Torgau, anthe south Americans took Cham, fought near Re sens burg, look Ulin.
22 mile*; farther northwest.
bombs dow n on his "eagle's nest" other
won another Danube crossing at Ehingen as French reached OchsenHalf of Berlin was held hy Sovfortress
atop
Kehlstein
mountain
hausen. On the eastern front Russians fought in Berlin, along the
iet troops beatinp down German
live miles from the chalet.
barricades of stone and iron, knockElbe and were reported by Germans to have reached Eiscncrz in
Austria. In Italy the Allies •were at the Po river.
The raid on the Alpine lair pos- ing back German tanks, and fightsibly was an attempt on the Fuehr- ing Nazis who popped out of suber's life, and even heavier bombs ways behind Russian lines. Berlin
was described as a wreckage of
may have been dropped,
jungles roaring with bitter
Six-ton "Earthquake" bombs — the stone
battle.
type that drilled the thick hide of
The First White Russian army
the Tirpttz ami plunged throuph
20-foot- 1 hick concrete "U-boat shel- cut nine miles southward west of
ters—were dropped in the aiea Berlin to Ketzm, 14 miles due west
the capital, all but encircling the
BY HELM AN MORIN
where Hitler's underground fortress of
city,
the German communique said.
is believed located.
Paris — (JP) — A cell in an unThe push by Marshal Gregory
Probably
200
of
Britain's
biggest
named fortress near Paris was preZhukov's troops, carrying nine miles
planes stamped this first direct at- south
Nauen captured yesterday,
pared today for Marshal Petain,
tack on Hitler's Berchtespadcn pro cut theof Germans'
last railroad of
former idol of France, as a preperlies nml an air ministry an escape or reinforcement
westward
caution against disorders when the
noiincement that other high exploSpandau.
aged hero of Verdun is returned BY FRED HAMPSON
sive and d ecu penetration bombs through
The Germans said the First Ukhere to stand trial on charges of
Manila—{.T)—Americans consoli- \\orc used indicated that possibly rainian army had i-eached Babelshigh treason.
dated their Baguio positions todaj thr 22 ,000- pound monster bombs
Justice Minister Francois DC for a final push into the ruined sum- capable oC making a 150-foot crater berg, fashionable suburb between
Potsdam and Berlin. Babelsberg is
Menthon said Petain has not yet en- mer capital of the Philippines while also were dropped.
l l ' i miles east and slightly south
tered France, denying a French far to the smith, on Mindanao is- Hitler's Chalet is Target
of KeUin. There the Soviets snippress agency report that the mar- land, othci Yanks pressed on toTargets wer^t Hitler's chalet near ped the last link south west ward.
shal and his party crossed the Swiss wards the Japanese stronghold <jl
itself, SS barracks on
Other troops of the First Vkrainfrontier near Geneva this morning. Davao.
'.be grounds reputedly garrisoning ian army were striking northward
An almost complete news black10,000
picked
troops,
and
the
mounMaj. Gen. Pprcy W. Clarkson's
out lias been thrown over details 33rd division, former Illinois Nation- tain refuge perched atop Kehlstein from a point southwest of the capof the marshal's return in official al Guard outfit, held coinmundinR mountain five miles from the chalet. ital toward a junction with Zhukov.
Any German outlet from Berlin was
French circles.
The Kchistfiii "castle," reachable under Soviet artillery fire.
positions in the pine-covered hills to
Held Under Guard
only
by
a
serpentine
road
and
cleva
the northwest, west and southwest
The Germans said Russians hitUpon arrival, however, Petain and siouthwcsl of mile-high Baguio tors insido a mountain shaft, is bewill be held under hcaiy ffuard at One column, moving down hit;li*a} Itevrd to h«vr> a vast underground ting into Berlin from the south had
the fortress in the Pans subuibs. nine from the northwest, was little fortress of iiir-eonilitionod corridors advanced to a line from Babelsberg
to Zehlendorf to Xcukoetln,
of n more than a mile from the city cen- and hiiKf supplies.
Like any other man
The two assault armies already
major crime in France lie will be de- ter.
Whethrr Hitler was there at the had united in the southeastern secnied any visitors except defense
A section of the road blown up tin!*" was not known,
tion of the city, pocketing German
counsel.
'flip attacks wcro carried out he
bj the- defending Japanese was be
There was every indication that inji repaired by engineers for the (ween )* a. m, ami 10 n. m. hy two forces to the .southeast,
Russian guns were methodical!y
France already had been torn apart
f
separate forcM l>y hfavy Lancaster? reducing the huge city block by
»f heavy equipment.
by the dramatic arrival at the Swiss movement
See— AEUIAl^-PnRC 7
On Mindanao, Mnj. (.Sen. K, 11
block.
frontier yesterday of the aged mar- Woodruff's
2-Hh division was fanNazi Propaganda Minister Paul
shal and his announced intention of iiinir out north
east from the
Joseph Goebbels, however, in a
returning to France to staml tnnl. road junction of and
Kabacan, np;irl>
statement hi-oniicnst over the HamIn the provinces there arc countway to Davao from the Amcri
burg radio, told the population of
less thousands of persons who still half
Mr.ro gulf beachhead.
Berlin that help was on Ihe way and
idoHzc Petain and for whom even can-5
(J<?n. Pouglajs MacAjlbur icporl
appealed to the sfarrisoii to bold out.
today his vast prestige remains m>
in today's communique thut "Uw
"Important force,-! to relieve the
flimmcd by the events during the cd
enemy hits a-* >ct been unable to
defender!; of Berlin are being
German occupation of France.
i ale bts forces in HTeolive
brought up,'' he Mild, "L'ntil they
With almost unanimous voice concent
Afadison, Wis.— (/P)— After a ;trri\c we have to scratch together
reMslnnce." Some JiO.OOO Japsnieso
See—PETAIM— Pw 7
troops and thousands of ]ire-w;ir l e n g t h y debate, the state rienate to all our eiu'rjty and all our courage
Nipponese settlors arc believed to day advanced to within n step of in old-. In hold the enemy at bat/'
he on Mindanao.
ssaKi- the incasine which woult
(Jot-hl eU added that ''no white
Nepco Blood Donors
put WiM'msin un mountain time, un flairs v>i1I he shown m the capital,
Go to Milwaukee
hour later than the present war which is fighting for its iife."
Purple Heart Goes
time. The 1 vole wa>- 17 to 111.
Nepco men will j;o to flic Milwau- To Nekoosa Mother
The .-list in My today passed 78- 7
kee blood donor center Thursday on
a ball in prmidc tint any M-bool British Enter Burma
iv bus sponsored by the Nckiiosa- K<lMr*. Miimn* Sonnison, mother of consolulalimi order of the state supPfc. Olc> Snrfnson, haw r«*c«'ived tho erintendent of schools would be sub- Oil Field, 2 Towns Fall
wards Paper company.
Wisconsin liapids men are asked Puiplf Heart winch wui nutmlr-il to ject to review upon appeal by a
Calcutta—(.T>) — Swift British
to be at the Wood County Hunk her sfm for wounds received in Ger- thrM'-mnti boanl appointed by the
penelr.ilicin of tb<? rich Burma oil
corner at 7:30, Fort Edwanls men many March M.
county judge of the affected tiis- field
area has toppled the importat the Nepco main office nt 7:-ir>
I'nvaXf Soreiison i* now v«vup<*rant Irr.iwaddy r t \ e r towns of Yenand Nekoosa men at the
utiitfr from t1io-,e wounds in a ho,1,ly, the measure had pro- aiinyamifi and Mnewe. GO and SO
Bank corner at 8 o'clock.
pibil in Eitffl.ind.
\ided for appeal in the cases of sus- miles houtli of Pakokku, a Southeast
pended district* \ \ i t h less t h a n Asia command communique reported
SI 00 ,000 valuation, hut an amend- today.
ment by A.sM>mhlyinan Whcelock
British ami Indian infantry and
I R-Vemoti) lifted the valuation Umkh inflicted heavy casualties on
the enemy, the communique said.
The house voiK'urred in n senate
British 14th army forces continIiill decreasing the annual state ued to make good nrngress south of
couiieil of defense appropriation capturwl r\inmana, -07 miles north
f i o m $:iO,000 to $10.000 and pro- of the port city of Rangoon.
\ u l i n s that its functions should be
discharged onlv upon order of the
governor and that the appropriation
should revert to the wdjutnnt Kcneral when he execute* council duties.
Monroe. Wis.— (-1M — A
An n! tempt by Assemblyman
travel me; man making a two
Nuss (It-Fond du I,nc> to plnce the
weeks stay in Monroe purchasbill allowinir introduction of natural
ed some limburger cheese to
«as into Wisconsin on the calendar
eat in his room.
for tomorrow failed, and the measWhen he was ready to leave
ure was put on the calendar of May
he still had half <»f the cheese.
•2 A companion apriropnation bill
Not wanting to pack it, he
was referred to the joint finance
went to the window sill, carecommittee.
fully rcmov<yl a plant from its
pot, hurk-d the cheese and reBABTOCK WOMAN DIRS
placed the plant.
Mr«. Mnrtlm Dnrnmr, 81, died
A few days later he receivTuesday evening at the home of her
ed tho following telegram
daughter,
Mr<t.
Charles
Sangcr,
near
fantrymen, fighting their n-«y through (he homb and shol I -hi a it rd
from the hotel: "Wo give up.
Babcofk.
The body has hern
of Berlin. MOPCAW reports Rimtan (ronps hfild nearly oneWhere dirt you put it?"
brmittht to the Krohn and Berard
halt of Berlin and have lh« Herman en pit* I almost encircled.
Funeral home.
Alpine Lair
Of Hitler
Is Blasted
Cell Prepared for Return of
Petain, Former French Idol
U,S,FORGES
MENACE BAGUIO
MOUNTAIN TIME
NEAR PASSAGE
. O. S.
SWSPAPER RICH1VE®